Brewing and then Copying

Magic 2015 is mostly here!

As is usually the case when a new set comes out, I have spent the last few weeks brewing all kinds of different ways to try and attack the upcoming Standard format.

Realistically, I know I won't have the time to put into figuring out a broken deck much less actually test it sufficiently. This has not ever stopped me from evaporating free time before and it will not stop me from doing it again when Khans is released in September. 

Some perspective: Every time a new set comes out a local shop holds a Standard tournament where the winner gets a playset of the new set. This is insane value and I have been lucky enough to split the finals of this tournament two times. 

You would think that this is what motivates my brewing, but no. Both times I have been successful at these events it has been with a very stock version of a deck the internet provided me with. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy to net deck, but my goodness would it feel good to succeed with something I could call my own!

That is what pushes me to draw up lists on paper for weeks before a new set comes out, that is why I have endless files in my deck builder app with old cards as placeholders for the new ones.

So here are a few brews for you to sink your teeth into. This is probably the only place they'll see the light of day so me kind. 


Brew 1: Junk Standard that wishes it was Modern

4 Pack Rat
4 Voice of Resurgence
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Reclamation Sage
3 Scion of Vitu-Ghazi

2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion

3 Advent of the Wurm

4 Abrupt Decay
4 Selesnya Charm
1 Golgari Charm
1 Putrefy
4 Thoughtseize

2 Mutavault
4 Godless Shrine
4 Temple Garden
4 Overgrown Tomb
3 Temple of Malady
2 Temple of Plenty
3 Llanowar Wastes
3 Caves of Koilos 


 This list is evidence of one of my biggest brewing problems. I spend a lot of time brewing for Modern and I tend to try to shift decks from that format to Standard. Typically this isn't the best plan because the formats are VASTLY different but I'm eternally hopeful that it will work. 

In this case we have a lot of cheap threats along with a lot of cheap answers. Voice of Resurgence is underplayed and pretty decent against the Black decks, plus you have Scion and Wurm to give you some late game punch. Pack Rat + Thoughtseize gives you some free wins and the removal package feels like it can answer most things. 

Some things to think about are: whether or not Scion is better than Blood Baron here, can this deck actually afford to play Mutavault, and can this deck ever beat an Elspeth?

I'm actually going to build this thing at some point to see what happens. 


Brew # B: SLIVERS! (Obviously.)

1 Striking
4 Galerider
4 DIffusion
1 Venom
3 Leeching
4 Manaweft
4 Predatory
1 Belligerent 
1 Blur
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Syphon
1 Bonescythe
4 Sliver Hivelord
1 Thorncaster
1 Constricting
1 Megantic

4 Chord of Calling

4 Sliver Hive
4 Mana Confluence
3 Breeding Pool
3 Llanowar Wastes
1 Mutavault
2 Overgrown Tomb
2 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
3 Yavimaya Coast
 


This is a fairly obvious deck that I think a lot of people will or have already built. I think it's actually worth looking at Slivers because a lot of people will try to make it happen and it makes sense to know what the deck is capable of. 

We're playing 4 of the most important ones and 1 of the rest. 3 Leeching because I don't think you actually want to DRAW 2 of him but you'd like to be able to find a second or third one with Chord. 

Some of them I'm not sure you actually need in the main deck. Striking is largely redundant when we have Bonescythe but him costing 1 could matter. Belligerent is in a similar spot since Galerider will usually be better at getting your dudes through. I have kind of a soft spot for Thorncaster but Bonesplitter may just do that job better. 

I built the manabase with all base-green lands leaning harder on Blue after Green. I like Mutavault in the deck but it feels real awkward with Hivelord. 

Speaking of Hivelord, this guy is super sweet but I can't decide how many I'm supposed to play. Seems smart to start with 4 and go from there. 



Brew 3:  Bant Flash

4 Hushwing Gryff
3 Horizon Chimaera 

3 Quicken
3 Syncopate
4 Void Snare
4 Azorius Charm
2 Selesnya Charm
4 Dissolve
2 Divination
2 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Advent of the Wurm

4 Breeding Pool
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple Garden
4 Temple of Enlightenment 
3 Temple of Mystery
2 Tempe of Plenty
4 Yavimaya Coast

This one is real rough and real bad. Sometimes a new card hits me at the right angle and I just can't get out of my mind that it's going to be good. This is the case with Hushwing Gryff. 

Trying to cast Advent of the Wurm in some kind of control deck has always been kind of the dream. We got to live it for a little while with Snapcaster Mage but even then it wasn't really good enough. Why I'm pushing myself to think it will be better now I honestly don't know. 

Void Snare gives us another card that we're happy to Quicken and maybe makes that card worth the slots?




I'm wrapping it up for today. I hope that gave you a somewhat interesting peek into my brain and how many less-than-good decks I go through before I land on anything reasonable.